28 July,2026 09:34 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Representational Image
Smoke was detected in one of the coaches of the Mumbai-bound Mahalaxmi Express near Karjat in Maharashtra's Raigad district on Tuesday morning, briefly triggering panic among passengers before railway authorities brought the situation under control.
No casualties or injuries were reported in the incident, which occurred in the Monkey Hill section, about 90 km from Mumbai.
According to the Government Railway Police (GRP), smoke was noticed in one of the train's coaches, prompting railway officials to inspect the affected compartment.
The train, which was travelling from Kolhapur to Mumbai, was scheduled to pass Karjat station at around 5.30 a.m. However, it was delayed after the incident and crossed the station at approximately 6.15 a.m. following inspection and necessary safety measures.
Karjat GRP Senior Police Inspector Kiran Matkar confirmed that no passengers were injured.
Central Railway said the Fire and Smoke Detection System (FSDS) alarm was activated in the B1 coach at around 5.40 am.
According to the railway authorities, the alarm was triggered after a short circuit caused by a dead rat inside an electrical panel.
Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Central Railway said the incident did not result in a fire.
Following inspection and safety checks, the train departed at around 6.00 a.m. and continued its journey.
Railway officials said all necessary inspections were carried out before allowing the train to proceed.
They added that no further abnormalities were detected after the train resumed its journey and reiterated that the incident was confined to smoke caused by the electrical short circuit, with no fire breaking out.
The authorities said the incident caused only a brief delay and did not affect passenger safety.
In a separate incident, one person was killed and another injured in a tractor-motorcycle collision in Ashti tehsil in Beed, a police official said on Monday.
The incident took place at 9:30 pm on Saturday on Jamgaon-Ashti road, he said.
"Ashok Gaikwad (38) and Sunil Ransingh (40) were on a motorcycle when it was hit by a tractor. Gaikwad died on the spot, while Ransingh sustained serious injuries and is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Ahilyanagar. Efforts are on to nab the tractor driver," he said.
